Thank you for downloading this AMACOM eBook Sign up for our newsletter, AMACOM BookAlert, and receive special offers, access to free samples, and info on the latest new releases from AMACOM, the book publishing division of American Management Association To sign up, visit our website: www.amacombooks.org Praise for Get Scrappy “Nick shows us why money is the bane of creativity No budget? No problem This useful and entertaining book shows us how to put brains before budget.” — Mark W Schaefer, Schaefer Marketing Solutions, author of The Content Code “While every other book out there gets more complex, this one gives you a whole lot of simple, common-sense practices to take your business to the next level This book will just plain work for you.” — Joe Pulizzi, Founder, Content Marketing Institute and author of Content Inc “Get Scrappy provides a marketing roadmap anyone can use big, small, nonprofit, corporate and couldn’t we all work a little smarter?” — Carie Lewis Carlson, Director, Communications Marketing, The Humane Society of the United States “If marketing your business seems like a Herculean task, don’t worry! Just Get Scrappy and dig into Nick Westergaard’s book.” — Michael Stelzner, author of Launch and Founder of Social Media Examiner “The modern era of marketing feels like what would happen if you gave every fifteen-year-old the keys to their own car without bothering to teach them how to drive Some would be fine, others would crash, and the rest would never even get the engine started Nick Westergaard’s new book is like modern marketing Driver’s Ed, if Driver’s Ed were really smart, funny, and surprising After reading Get Scrappy, I think I’m finally ready to leave my driveway.” — Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D., bestselling author of Nine Things Successful People Do Differently and No One Understands You and What to Do About It “Want to get better at digital marketing? Read this book In it, Nick successfully argues that to win in the age of ‘Ooh, shiny!’ one needs to be smarter, faster, and come up with better ideas Get Scrappy will help you that.” — Pete Shankman, author of Zombie Loyalists: Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans “The whole of Westergaard’s book is important, but Part Three will hone you down into a sharp and useful instrument of magic This book delivers!” — Chris Brogan, CEO Owner Media Group and coauthor of the New York Times bestseller Trust Agents “In the age of the customer you have to know more than just the buzzwords, trends, and technology Nick helps you become a scrappy marketer so you can build strong relationships with your customers and engage them in your community.” — Mike Gerholdt, Admin Evangelist at Salesforce and host of the ButtonClick Admin podcast “I wish more brands would get scrappy with their marketing Digital marketing used to be a panacea because it was fast, cheap and data-driven Now, too many brands see marketing as slow, expensive, and filled with so much data that they are paralyzed by it Big mistake Get scrappy It’s not just the name of this great book by Nick Westergaard, it’s an attitude that all brands need to embrace, strategize and execute on Here’s your roadmap.” — Mitch Joel, President, Mirum, author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete “As the owner of a small business with an expanding brand, I will genuinely recommend Get Scrappy to friends and colleagues, both seasoned professionals and those new to the challenges of business marketing, as it is a must-read for anyone looking to broaden their reach with limited resources! Get Scrappy not only gives you the logical steps you need to be successful, it offers tools and thoughtprovoking questions that just will change how you think about your brand!” — Natalie Brown, Owner, Scratch Cupcakery “Big budgets don’t guarantee success and scrappiness isn’t unique to small companies Having worked at a large company that knew how to be scrappy, I can tell you that we practiced the principles that Nick so adeptly lays out Using these techniques, regardless of budget, will change your results.” — Scott Monty, Principal and Founder, Scott Monty Strategies “Technology is changing the way marketers approach their jobs more quickly than ever before Thought you couldn’t keep up last year? Welcome to another new year that will introduce dozens of new technologies, social media networks, and more content ideas than you could ever possibly produce With all of that comes a need for resources—both time and money: both things most of us don’t have (that is, until I figure out a way to duplicate time) Combine all of that with the shiny new object, the myth of big, and the checklist marketing and we’re suddenly faced with a future of insanity But it doesn’t have to be that way! In Get Scrappy Nick Westergaard presents a marketing system any organization and any marketer can use: anyone who could use a few people and a few dollars more It doesn’t mean you have to think small It means you have to roll up your sleeves, be creative, and get scrappy Now ‘doing more with less’ won’t grate on your nerves because you’ll have figured out how to exactly that So get to it!” — Gini Dietrich, CEO of Arment Dietrich and author of Spin Sucks “Get Scrappy has never been more important, or more realistic, marketing advice than it is today Technology has leveled the playing field and any business of any size can compete with a scrappy attitude This book will help you get there.” — Jim Tobin, author of Social Media Is a Cocktail Party and Earn It Don’t Buy It “The flaw with most marketing advice you get from speakers and bloggers and authors is that it’s dependent on having a big team, a big budget and resources the big brands are used to dealing with Nick Westergaard has filled the gap in the advice out there with this book Everyone from a small business owner just starting to a big corporation CMO can follow this book and build the basic framework of a successful marketing effort Roll up your sleeves You’re about to learn how to get scrappy.” — Jason Falls, coauthor of No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing, and Senior Vice President, Elasticity “Get Scrappy is your guidebook to mastering digital marketing no matter the size of your business or the industry it operates in Get Scrappy shows you how to be smarter in your business as well as more effective and efficient in your marketing efforts If you listen to Nick and follow his advice, he’ll help you take your business to the next level!” — Mack Collier, digital marketing strategist and author of Think Like a Rock Star: How to Create Social Media and Marketing Strategies That Turn Customers into Fans “If you want to more with less (and who doesn’t?!), Nick Westergaard’s book is the ultimate guide to marketing Read it to learn an immensely practical and creative system for addressing age-old marketing challenges as well as seizing the new opportunities of social and digital today.” — Denise Lee Yohn, brand-building expert, speaker, and author of What Great Brands Do “When it comes to marketing your business in the digital age, so much of what you read in books these days is theory-based thoughts on where business is headed, but oftentimes these same books are not practical enough to truly apply to your business But in Get Scrappy, Nick Westergaard has truly come through with a work that, if applied, will absolutely have a powerful impact on not just your business, but your bottom line as well Even better, the techniques and principles taught therein apply across the board, be it big or small business, B2B or B2C—this is a book that has the word “application” written all over it Well done, Nick Westergaard, well done.” —Marcus Sheridan, professional speaker, Founder of The Sales Lion, Partner at River Pools and Spas GET SCRAPPY Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small NICK WESTERGAARD For Harry, Sam, Adrien, Mia, and Jude, the small people in my life who inspire big things And for Meghann, the scrappiest person I know CONTENTS Foreword by Ann Handley Introduction Part One: Smart Steps You Can’t Skip The Brand Behind the Megaphone Map Your Marketing Follow Your Digital Compass Part Two: Do More with Less Create a Question Engine Embrace Your People Power Connect Your Digital Dots Part Three: Simplify for the Long Haul The Simplification Game Measure What Matters Putting It Together Appendix Get Scrappy: A Reference Guide Discussion Group Questions Further Reading Notes Acknowledgements Index About the Author Free Sample Chapter from Do It Marketing! by David Newman About AMACOM STOP THROWING MONEY INTO A MARKETING BLACK HOLE A stern-looking executive stares out at you from the page in the magazine The body of the ad reads: I don’t know who you are I don’t know your company I don’t know your company’s product I don’t know what your company stands for I don’t know your company’s customers I don’t know your company’s record I don’t know your company’s reputation Now, what was it you wanted to sell me? This ad first ran in BusinessWeek in 1958 And its message is even more relevant today: You must build relationships before you sell If you’re investing in trusted advisor marketing (it goes by several other names like inbound marketing, thought leadership marketing, and content marketing), then you’ve probably asked yourself, “How (and when) will this generate a sale?” And that is the completely WRONG question to ask By the time you’re done reading this book, you’ll see exactly why—AND you’ll be able to ask (and answer) much better questions to grow your business right away WE INTERRUPT WITH A BRIEF METAPHOR Asking when your marketing will lead to a sale is like filling up your car’s gas tank and asking, “Why aren’t we there yet?” Answer: Because filling your car with gas is a necessary but not sufficient step in getting you to your destination (a new customer or client) Marketing is just the first step, but that doesn’t make it any less vital to your success Put it this way: Do you have a chance of arriving now that your gas tank is full? You bet Did you have a chance of getting there with your tank on empty? No way Let’s drive on INSIGHT 1: YOU NEED TO SELL THE SAME WAY THAT YOU BUY Look at your e-mail spam or bulk e-mail folder Yes, you Yes, right now I’ll wait Tap-tap-tap- tap You’re back Excellent Did you see that spam e-mail from the toner cartridge company? Did you catch the pitch from the SEO firm that filled out your website’s contact form? Did you respond to that great deal on vacation cruises? No? OK Now pop over to your paper mail pile on your desk Did you check out the latest triple-play offer from your friendly cable company? How about that compelling cell phone offer from Verizon? The Wall Street Journal subscription offer? Or how about that postcard—you know, the one from the home heating oil company? No? When’s the last time you gave your credit card number to a cold caller who interrupted your family dinner? NEVER?? I’m shocked! But you seem pretty excited about YOUR cold calls—and sending out YOUR spam, YOUR offers, YOUR postcards, YOUR sales messages The problem with doing it this way? In four words: Zero Value For Prospects And hello? YOU don’t BUY this way What in the world makes you think your prospects DO? Look once more at the ad at the start of the chapter and answer a few simple questions: Question 1: What VALUE have I ADDED to my prospect’s world in order to EARN the RIGHT to INVITE them to a conversation and OFFER my solutions to their problems, headaches, heartaches, and challenges? INSIGHT 2: REFERRALS ROCK BUT THEY’RE NOT DEAF, DUMB, OR BLIND The next thing you’re going to tell me is that you don’t NEED to any marketing because 99 percent of your business is repeat and referral business, and it’s always been that way You don’t see how any newfangled marketing is going to move the needle toward closing more sales Do you seriously think that referrals don’t check you out online before picking up the phone? What messages are you sending to your valued referrals with: Your outdated website Articles from three years ago are outdated, friends And from 2005, even more so And design aesthetic from 1998 most of all Your sporadically updated blog that you leave dormant for two (or four or six!) months at a clip? Your abandoned Twitter account that you set up because someone said you had to? Now it has 87 followers while your competitors have 5,000 (or a whole lot more) Your sketchy, bare bones LinkedIn profile that has 200 connections but only two recommendations? (And they’re from two years ago From people with the same last name as you.) Your “glory days” articles and TV clips and PR placements from 20 (yes, I’m serious), 10, or even five years ago Nothing screams “has-been” like old media Make no mistake: Getting repeat and referral business is great But don’t kid yourself that this absolves you from having a top-notch web presence, social media platform, and body of knowledge that is ultra-current, super-relevant, and obviously abundant In fact, you are leaving yourself open to EMBARRASSMENT if your advocates hear back from their referrals and find themselves in the awkward position of having to defend your out-of-date marketing platform, which now casts your professional expertise into doubt Question 2: Does my overall online presence REASSURE and REINFORCE the referrals I earn? Does it contain the most current, credible, and relevant marketing messages, positioning, content, resources, and value that will make my advocates LOOK BETTER—not worse—for referring me? INSIGHT 3: TRUSTED ADVISOR MARKETING IS A FOUR-LAYER ENCHILADA And you don’t get to eat the delicious golden-brown cheese without first layering on the meat! Here’s what “four-layer” means: The first layer—at the core of the matter—is your Reputation Your work Your track record If you stop there, you’ll have a VERY hard time attracting NEW leads and prospects to your doorstep “My work should speak for itself” is what a lot of very smart people say—smart people who have a hard time making their mortgage payments The second layer is Amplification Ways to make your signal stronger Enter social media marketing, niche PR, article marketing, blogging, keyword research, and search engine optimization This is the key to spreading your ideas and broadcasting your expertise The third layer is Leverage This is where you begin to capitalize on your trusted advisor assets such as articles, blogs, videos, podcasts, interviews, white papers, special reports, book excerpts, and other value-first marketing tools You can now reach out to high-probability prospects both individually (on LinkedIn, for example) and collectively (on your blog, for example) This is where your job becomes putting the right bait on the right hooks in the right lakes to catch the right fish The fourth layer is Gravity This is like Jim Collins’s flywheel concept in Good to Great: It takes a long time to get it spinning but then is very hard to stop because of the power of momentum This is where you start to see payoffs: more leads, better prospects, bigger opportunities, more conversations, higher profile alliances, more invitations to speak, publish, guest post, contribute and teach, and [drum roll, please] more invitations to great work at premium fees for great clients who NOW know you, like you, and trust you enough to hand over five- and six-figure checks because their level of confidence in your expertise is pretty close to 100 percent Question 3: Do you want to make more sales to strangers? (Good luck with that) Or you really want more people to recognize, respect, and request YOU by name when they have a need, project, or problem that they instantly see has “your name written all over it”? If that’s your goal, then trusted advisor marketing is for you Reread the ad at the beginning of the chapter, and let’s a twenty-first-century spin on it together I don’t know who you are I don’t read your blog I don’t subscribe to your newsletter I don’t see your name in my industry’s publications I don’t hear my peers spreading your ideas I don’t come across your content in Google searches I don’t connect your solutions to my problems I don’t feel the gravity of your credibility or credentials I don’t have any tangible way to gauge your expertise or experience Now—what was it you wanted to sell me? So here’s the ultimate (and most important) question for YOU: How can you realistically expect to SELL anything WITHOUT first setting the necessary preconditions for ANY sale with trusted advisor marketing? The answer is as simple as it is obvious: You can’t Just like you can’t drive your car from Denver to Sheboygan if you haven’t first filled up your gas tank Only then can you get behind the wheel, plan your route, use your GPS, add more fuel along the way (and probably some beef jerky and Sno-Balls and root beer), AND put in the hours and the miles to get you to your destination Nobody—and I mean N-O-B-O-D-Y—hires vendors, suppliers, or professional services firms sight unseen You wouldn’t I wouldn’t either And the facts prove that today’s buyers are just like YOU and ME The kind of marketing we’ll explore together in this book—trusted advisor marketing—is a marathon, not a sprint And, as any marathoner will tell you, the best (and only) way to run a marathon is one mile at a time On your mark get set GO! DETERMINE WHO, THEN WHY—AND YOUR WHAT COMES LAST What should be my company name? What’s the best headline for this web page? What are the right words for our telemarketing scripts? What I say to people when they ask me, “So what you do?” What tagline will attract the right prospects and customers? What should I say in this sales letter? “What—What—What?” needs to become “Wait—Wait—Wait!” You’re wasting your time Truly “What?” is the wrong question More specifically, it’s the wrong FIRST question when it comes to your marketing Let’s boil this down to a very simple exercise Imagine for a moment that I ask you to take out a piece of paper to write a letter You so, and, with pen in hand, you find yourself staring at a blank sheet of paper In the upper left corner, you write the word, “Dear,” and then you’re stuck Before you can get any further in your task, you need to ask me TO WHOM should the letter be addressed The President of the United States? Your cousin Marvin in New Orleans? Your old high school sweetheart? It makes a difference, doesn’t it? The assignment gets more interesting when I tell you that the letter is intended for your Aunt Sally (Humor me, and pretend you indeed have a dear old Aunt Sally!) So you fill in the top of your letter with “Dear Aunt Sally.” So far, so good Your next question might be WHY are you writing to your Aunt Sally? Is it to check on her health? To ask for her delicious apple pie recipe from last Thanksgiving? Or to thank her for those snappy Argyle socks she got you for Christmas? Let’s say it’s to ask for her family secret apple pie recipe Having answered the WHO and the WHY questions, you would most likely get busy and create a compelling, fast, easy letter with no further questions Notice all the things you would NOT need to worry about: What I say? How I say it? What words should I use? What words should I avoid? Will she like the letter? Will she act on the letter? Fret, fret, fret Worry, worry, worry You’re just going to write the letter, get the recipe, and have a great relationship with your dear old Aunt Sally And the reason will be that you connected with her with enthusiasm and authenticity for a specific purpose that made her feel valued, special, and important to you Have you connected all the dots yet? This is how MARKETING is supposed to work too Figure out WHOM you’re talking to, TALK to them for a GOOD, SPECIFIC, RELEVANT reason, understanding who they are and what’s important to THEM Just that, and you’ll have all the professional copywriters and ad agencies beat in no time flat Best-Sellers from AMACOM Web Copy that Sells: The Revolutionary Formula for Creating Killer Copy That Grabs Their Attention and Compels Them to Buy Web copy—the words on a website that make people buy what you’re selling—is the single most important element that can turn a lackluster site into a “perpetual money machine.” This book is the definitive resource for mastering the skill of writing attention-grabbing online copy that makes people take action Starting with a five-step blueprint and powerful psychological tactics for writing irresistible e-mail, marketing, and website communications, veteran web copywriter Maria Veloso also provides guidelines for writing and producing high-converting video sales letters (VSLs) writing copy for mobile devices and the “portable web” and writing copy for highly clickable interactive advertising banners Marketing to Millennials: Reach the Largest and Most Influential Generation of Consumers Ever From start-ups to Goliaths, this book takes a serious and fascinating look at the companies and brands that are getting it right when it comes to engaging the Millennial consumer Featuring examples and case studies of organizations including Ford, Sephora, Android, Victoria’s Secret, PepsiCo/Frito Lay, Facebook, DoSomething.org, TOMS Shoes, and more, the book reveals “The New Rules” of marketing to Gen Y People Styles at Work and Beyond The book reveals the strengths and weaknesses of four different people styles, providing practical techniques that work both on the job and off Now including all new material on personal relationships, parenting, and more, this is the ultimate guide anyone can use to enhance even the most difficult relationships Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone Barricades between people become barriers to success, progress, and happiness; so getting through is not just a fine art, but a crucial skill Just Listen gives you the techniques and confidence to approach the unreachable people in your life, and turn frustrating situations into productive outcomes and rewarding relationships About AMACOM AMACOM is the book publishing division of American Management Association Our broad range of offerings helps readers worldwide enhance their personal and professional growth and reach into the future to understand emerging trends and cutting-edge thinking AMACOM publishes practical works on all business topics and in other nonfiction areas, including health & fitness, science & technology, popular psychology, parenting, and education AMACOM authors—experts and leaders in their fields—are practitioners, world-class educators, and journalists, all with valuable information and unique insights to share Don’t just train— transform Great skills drive great performance When true talent transformation takes place, the possibilities for better business outcomes are almost unlimited American Management Association is widely recognized as a world leader in professional development We support the goals of individuals, organizations, and government agencies with a complete range of talent transformation solutions Our flexible training fits your learning preferences, your busy schedule—and your ongoing career and business needs Learn with AMA anytime, anywhere Be part of a transformative and unique learning experience AMA helps you solve the problems you’re facing now Maintain your competitive edge Learn more at www.amanet.org or call 1-800-262-9699 Bulk discounts available For details visit: www.amacombooks.org/go/specialsales Or contact special sales: Phone: 800-250-5308 Email: specialsls@amanet.org View all the AMACOM titles at: www.amacombooks.org American Management Association: www.amanet.org This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Westergaard, Nick, author Title: Get scrappy : smarter digital marketing for businesses big and small / Nick Westergaard Description: New York : American Management Association, [2016] | Includes bibliographical references and index Identifiers: LCCN 2015045508 (print) | LCCN 2015047287 (ebook) | ISBN 9780814437315 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780814437322 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Internet marketing | Internet advertising | Digital media | Marketing — Management Classification: LCC HF5415.1265 W473 2016 (print) | LCC HF5415.1265 (ebook) | DDC 658.8/72— dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015045508 © 2016 Nick Westergaard All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 The scanning, uploading, or distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the express permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law Please purchase only authorized electronic editions of this work and not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials, electronically or otherwise Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated About AMA American Management Association (www.amanet.org) is a world leader in talent development, advancing the skills of individuals to drive business success Our mission is to support the goals of individuals and organizations through a complete range of products and services, including classroom and virtual seminars, webcasts, webinars, podcasts, conferences, corporate and government solutions, business books, and research AMA’s approach to improving performance combines experiential learning—learning through doing—with opportunities for ongoing professional growth at every step of one’s career journey Printing number 10 ... Pools and Spas GET SCRAPPY Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small NICK WESTERGAARD For Harry, Sam, Adrien, Mia, and Jude, the small people in my life who inspire big things And for. .. your marketing, don’t get frustrated Get scrappy instead At this point, you may be asking, “What is scrappy? ” Let’s start with what scrappy isn’t Scrappy isn’t marketing small Scrappy isn’t marketing. .. It “The flaw with most marketing advice you get from speakers and bloggers and authors is that it’s dependent on having a big team, a big budget and resources the big brands are used to dealing